Electrical load set circuit, light strip and control apparatus therefor

ABSTRACT

An electrical load set circuit and apparatus having at least three control signal lines arranged in parallel, a pair of polarized electrical loads connected between two of the signal lines, and another electrical load connected between a different control signal line and one of the polarized loads. Individual ones of the electrical loads can be selectively activated without requiring an additional common (ground) line. At least two of the control signal lines can be kept in a floating state. A light strip includes plural light set circuits spaced along the control signal lines. In another variation, first and second light points are spaced along the three control signal lines, each including three different color LEDs respectively.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation of pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/172,693 titled Electrical Load Set Circuit,Light Strip, and Control apparatus therefor, filed Oct. 26, 2018, andissued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,462,872 on Oct. 29, 2019, which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/022,285titled “Light Load Set Circuit, Light Strip And Control ApparatusTherefor,” filed Jun. 28, 2018 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,117,299 onOct. 30, 2018, which claims priority from Chinese Patent Application No.201820642837.X titled “A light set circuit, a light strip and a lightsource component,” filed May 2, 2018 and Chinese Patent Application No.201820645655.8 titled “A light set circuit, a light strip and lightsource component,” filed May 3, 2018, and also claims priority fromChinese Patent Application No. 201821186633.6 titled “A Light Strip anda Light-emitting Components,” filed Jul. 25, 2018, and Chinese PatentApplication No. 20181564179.3 titled A Light Strip Circuit,” filed Sep.25, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated in this disclosure byreference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to lighting and other electrical loadtechnology, and more particularly to a light or other electrical loadset circuit, a light strip and a control apparatus for driving the loadset circuit. Common light strips typically include an array oflight-emitting diodes (LEDs) soldered on wires or conductors of aflexible ribbon board. Such light strips can be inserted into atranslucent or transparent tubular member, or directly molded into adevice. When the light strip is connected to a power supply, it willemit light, which can look like a light band. It is known that the lightcolor can be changeable and/or dimmable. The light color change can becontrolled, with monochrome and RGB effects selected to provide colorfulvisual effects. Such light strips have been widely used in thedecoration and lighting of buildings, bridges, roads, courtyards,furniture, automobiles, signs, etc., for decoration or lighting. Thepresent invention also has application in controlling sets of otherelectrical loads such as heating elements and motion actuators, forexample motors, solenoids, vibrators, and speakers.

In recent years, light strips are increasingly popular in applicationssuch as wearable devices that are closely related to people's lives, andthis role is not limited to decoration or lighting. For example, lightstrips can be placed on shoes, being activated on or off by closing andopening a switch, LED lights on a light strip can exhibit bright anddark flashing effects, increasing the beauty of the shoes whileimproving the safety of walking at night. Light strips can also bemounted at the front and/or rear of bicycles. Also, the bright and darkflashing effect acts as warning for improving the safety of nightriding. Light strips can also be placed proximate protruding objects forprompting passersby to avoid such dangers.

However, in many applications the number of wires or other conductorsand circuitry needed in the prior art for a desired effect becomesprohibitive in that each aspect of control typically requires a separatecontrol line, plus a common (ground) return. For example in the priortechnology, a typical light strip control chip has two, three or fourcontrol terminals. Multiple light points are set between theseterminals, and each light point includes one or more LED lights, whichare turned on or off according to the control level of a correspondingcontrol terminal. When the display of a specific mode is needed, thecontrol signal for a particular aspect needs to be set specially, andLED lights of the light point generally cannot be individually turnedon. Alternatively, the control chip can also be provided with enoughcontrol terminals so that each control terminal corresponds to one lightof each light point. That way the control chip can control the lights ofthe light points individually, which can provide a greater variety offlashing modes, but the cost is markedly increased for larger numbers oflight point lights.

Thus there is a need for an improved circuitry and control apparatusthat avoids the need for separate wires for each aspect of a light stripdisplay.

SUMMARY

The present invention meets this need by providing an electrical loadset circuit that includes first, second, and third control signal linesarranged in parallel, and at least three load elements that arevariously directly connected between the control signal lines in such away that each of the load elements can be individually turned onaccording to control levels of the control signal lines. As used herein,“connected between the control signal lines” means that opposite ends ofeach load element are electrically connected to respective ones of thecontrol signal lines. More generally, the present invention providesload set circuits, each load set having a number of load elements thatcan be individually turned on using control signal lines numbering notmore than the number of load elements in each load set circuit, andwithout an additional common (ground) line. In one aspect of theinvention, each load set circuit includes three load elements, two ofthe load elements being polarized and connected in reverse polaritybetween first and second control signal lines, the other load elementbeing connected between a third control signal line and the secondcontrol signal line. One of the load elements is selectively activatedwhen opposite signals are applied between the first and second controlsignal lines, the third control signal line being kept in a floatingstate, a different light source being activated when the signals arereversed with the third control signal line floating. The other loadelement is activated when opposite signals are applied between thesecond and third control signal lines, the first control signal linebeing kept in the floating state. The load elements can include one ormore pairs of LEDs or other polarized loads, at least one pair of loadsbeing connected in reverse polarity.

The other load element that is connected between the second and thirdcontrol signal lines can be polarized and a still different polarizedload element can be connected in reverse polarity between the second andthird control signal lines, being activated when these signals arereversed with the first control signal line remaining in the floatingstate. The load elements can be first, second, third, and fourth LEDlight sources, the first and second LEDs being connected in reversepolarity with each other between the second and third control signallines, the third and fourth LED light sources being connected in reversepolarity with each other between the first and second control signallines.

Each LED light source has positive (anode) and negative (cathode)terminals. In one arrangement the positive terminal of the first LEDlight source is connected to the third control signal line, and thenegative terminal of the first LED light source is connected to thesecond control signal line, the positive terminal of the second LEDlight source being connected to the second control signal line, thenegative terminal of the second LED light source being connected to thethird control signal line; the positive terminal of the third LED lightsource is connected to the first control signal line, the negativeterminal of the third LED light source being connected to the secondcontrol signal line; the positive terminal of the fourth LED lightsource is connected to the second control signal line, and the negativeterminal of the fourth LED light source is connected to the firstcontrol signal line.

The control apparatus can include a connected memory, a control pulsegenerating circuit and a processor, the memory storing flashing modecontrol information that defines plural flashing modes of the lightstrip, the processor transferring the flashing mode control informationvia the control pulse generating circuit as pulse control signals to thefirst, second, and third control signal lines of the light strip. Thememory, control pulse generating circuit and processor can be formed ona control chip that further includes an I/O port, a trigger switch beingconnected to the I/O port for triggering the processor to transferflashing mode control information from the memory to the control pulsegenerating circuit, subsequent activations of the trigger switchtriggering transfers of different flashing mode control information tothe pulse generating circuit.

Preferably the trigger switch is a flicker switch. As used herein, aflicker switch is a motion activated inertia switch that can beinstalled in association with the light strip in an article of clothingsuch as a wearer's shoe. Preferably at least one of the flashing modesis a following or flowing flashing sequence mode. Further preferably,two of the flashing modes are flashing sequences of opposite directions.

In another aspect of the present invention there are first and secondlight points sequentially arranged along the three control signal lines,with a control signal level being applied to two of the three controlsignal lines as described above, and the remaining control signal linebeing kept in a floating state. Each light point preferably includesthree different color LED light sources, respectively; the first lightpoint including first, second and third LED light sources, the secondlight point including fourth, fifth and sixth LED light sources.

In one arrangement the positive terminal of the first LED light sourceis connected to the second control signal line, the negative terminal ofthe first LED light source is connected to the first control signalline; the positive terminal of the second LED light source is connectedto the second control signal line, the negative terminal of the secondLED light source being connected to the third control signal line. Thepositive terminal of the third LED light source is connected to thefirst control signal line, the negative terminal of the third LED lightsource being connected to the third control signal line. The negativeterminal of the fourth LED light source is connected to the secondcontrol signal line, the positive terminal of the fourth LED lightsource being connected to the third control signal line; the negativeterminal of the fifth LED light source is connected to the secondcontrol signal line, the positive terminal of the fifth LED light sourcebeing connected to the first control signal line. The negative terminalof the sixth LED light source is connected to the first control signalline, the positive terminal of the sixth LED light source beingconnected to the third control signal line.

Preferably, the first and second light points each include red, greenand blue LED light sources. More preferably, the first and the fourthLED light sources are of the same color, the second and fifth LED lightsources being of the same color, and the third and sixth LED lightsources are of the same color.

A light strip can also be formed with plural complements of the firstand second light points sequentially connected along the three controlsignal lines. Preferably these light set circuits also have the samecomplement of three LED light sources and connection structure in eachlight point.

Additionally, the combination of light strip and control apparatus canbe incorporated in a useful article such as an article of clothing beinga shoe lower.

The present invention also provides a corresponding combination ofcontrol apparatus and the light strip having multiples of the first andsecond light points, the control apparatus including the control chipconnected to the three control signal lines of the light strip.

The present invention advantageously provides a simple, low coststructure for versatile control of plural light sources using only threecontrol signal lines to control up to six LED light sources in each ofmultiple light sets. Each LED light source of every set can be turned onalone, and the combination with the control apparatus can realizevarious flashing modes such as a flowing or following flash.

A further aspect of the present invention provides an electricalapparatus including N control lines and a load circuit, wherein each ofthe N control lines is connected to the load circuit, N is a naturalnumber greater than or equal to 4, and the load circuit includes one ormore electrical load sets, each load set having M groups of electricalloads, M being equal or greater than N−1 and less than or equal toM_((N−1))+(N−1). Each group of loads is connected between a differentpair of the N control lines. Each increase of N beyond 3 adds N−1 to amaximum value of M. At least one of the groups of loads includes areverse-connected pair of polarized elements; thus each of theelectrical load sets can have twice the number of M groups of loads: sixwhen N=3, 12 when N=4, 20 when N=5, etc. It will be understood thatplural electrical load elements of the same polarity connected betweenany two of the control signal lines are considered to be a singleelectrical load. It will be further understood that the number of Mgroups can be different among the electrical load sets. The apparatuscan be combined with a controller for driving each of the N controllines selectively and individually in high, low, or in a floating state.

In yet a further aspect of the present invention, a lamp strip circuitincludes the controller, the N control lines, and one or more lamp setcircuits, each of the N control lines being connected to the controllerand to the lamp set circuits. N is a natural number greater than orequal to 3; the light-emitting circuit including M groups ofsequentially arranged light-emitting diodes, M being equal or greaterthan N−1 and less than or equal to 3 when N=3, less than or equal to 6when N=4, less than or equal to 10 when N=5, each group of loads beingconnected between a different pair of the N control lines, and thecontroller selectively and independently drives each of the controllines high, low or in a floating state. Each increase of N beyond 3 addsN−1 to a maximum value of M, each group being connected between adifferent pair of the N control lines, and the controller selectivelyand independently drives each of the control lines high, low or in afloating state, at least one group of light emitting diodes includingtwo light emitting diodes connected in reverse polarity, and two ends ofeach group of light emitting diodes are respectively connected todifferent ones of the N control lines. Preferably N is 4 and said M isat least 4; alternatively, N is 5 and M is at least 5.

In yet another aspect, the present invention advantageously provides avisually striking cascading light strip display that is particularly inexpensive in that only a few control signal lines can activate anadvancing subset of LED activations. As used herein the terms “cascade”and cascading” refer to subsets of 2, 3, or more adjacent or relativelyclosely spaced illuminators of a light strip appear to be simultaneouslyactivated in a sequence wherein sequential trailing illuminators areinactivated as others are activated.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdescription, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a light set circuit according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a light strip incorporating light setcircuits of FIG. 1 in combination with a control apparatus in furtheraccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are exemplary timing diagrams of the combination of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of the control apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5A is a circuit diagram showing an alternative configuration of thelight set circuit of FIG. 1 and further detail of the control apparatusof FIG. 2;

FIG. 5B is a circuit diagram as in FIG. 5A, showing alternativelydesignated light sources of the included light set circuit;

FIG. 5C is a circuit diagram as in FIG. 3A, showing an alternateconfiguration of control apparatus thereof;

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing an alternative configuration of thelight set circuit of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram as in FIG. 2, the combination incorporatingthe light set circuits of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an oblique side perspective view of a lower shoe portionincorporating the light strip and control apparatus of FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 9E, 9F, and 9G are exemplary timing diagrams foroperational sequences of the combination of FIG. 7;

FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G, 10H, 10I, 10J, 10K, and 10L arefurther exemplary timing diagrams for operational sequences of thecombination of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a general form of the presentinvention having the control apparatus of FIG. 2 in combination with anelectrical load set circuit using N control signal lines only;

FIG. 12 is a schematic showing a conventional light-emitting diode(LED), consisting a pair of light-emitting silicon diode elementsconnected in series and packaged in abutting relation;

FIG. 13 is a schematic depicting a conventional reverse-connected pairof LEDs forming a representative group of electrical loads;

FIG. 14 is a schematic of a series-connected LED and resistor forming analternative electrical load configuration;

FIG. 15 is a schematic depicting an electrical load element in the formof a diode (which may not be light-emitting) series connected with aresistor;

FIG. 16 is a schematic depicting an electrical load element in the formof a diode series-connected with a motor;

FIG. 17 is a schematic showing a pair of diodes series-connected inopposite polarity to a motor and forming an alternative form of theelectrical load group of FIG. 13;

FIG. 18 is schematic diagram showing the load strip combination of FIG.11 having an alternative configuration of the light set circuit of FIG.5A, where N is 4;

FIG. 19 is an exemplary timing diagram for an operational sequence ofthe combination of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is an exemplary timing diagram for a cascading sequence ofilluminations within a light strip incorporating the combination of FIG.18;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged detail timing diagram showing a portion of thesequence of

FIG. 22 within region 1 thereof;

FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram as in FIG. 18, showing anotheralternative configuration of the light set circuit, where N is 5; and

FIG. 23 is an exemplary timing diagram for an operational sequence ofthe combination of FIG. 19.

FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7 are on Sheet 1; FIG. 3A, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5A are onSheet 2; FIGS. 9A and 9B are on Sheet 3; FIGS. 9C and 9D are on Sheet 4;FIGS. 9E and 9F are on Sheet 5; FIGS. 9G, 10C and 10D are on Sheet 6;FIGS. 10A and 10B are on Sheet 7; FIGS. 3B and 8 are on Sheet 8; FIGS.10E-10G are on Sheet 9; FIGS. 10H-10J are on Sheet 10; FIGS. 10K, 10L,and 5B are on Sheet 11; FIGS. 11-18 and 22 are on Sheet 12; FIG. 19 ison Sheet 13; FIGS. 5C, 20 and 21 are on Sheet 14; and FIG. 23 is onSheet 15 of the Drawings.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed to an electrical load set circuit thatis particularly versatile yet inexpensive to produce, alone and incombination with suitable control apparatus. With reference to FIGS. 1,2, 3A, 3B and 4 of the drawings, an exemplary light set circuit 10includes four polarized light sources and three control signal lines,designated L1, L2, and L3, the light sources being connected in parallelpairs as described herein. Exemplary polarized light sources are LEDs,and four such LED light sources, designated D1, D2, D3, and D4, areconnected to the three control signal lines. The LED light sources D1and D2 are connected in reverse with each other between the secondcontrol signal line L2 and the third control signal line L3. The thirdLED light source is connected between the first control signal line andthe second control signal line, and the fourth LED light source isconnected between the first control signal line and the third controlsignal line, the connections of the third and fourth LED light sourcesto the first control signal line being in reverse polarity. Moreparticularly, the positive terminal of the first LED light source D1 isconnected with the third control signal line L3, and the negativeterminal of the first LED light source D1 is connected to the secondcontrol signal line L2. The positive terminal of the second LED lightsource D2 is connected to the second control signal line L2, and thenegative terminal of the second LED light source D2 is connected to thethird control signal line L3. Similarly, the positive terminal of thethird LED light source D3 is connected to the first control signal lineL1, the negative terminal of the third LED light source D3 beingconnected to the second control signal line L2. Finally, the positiveterminal of the fourth LED light source D4 is connected to the secondcontrol signal line L2 and the negative terminal of the fourth LED lightsource D4 is connected to the first control signal line L1.

Plural counterparts of the light set circuit 10 are connected inparallel to the control signal lines L1, L2, and L3 to form a lightstrip 12 as indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 2, the individual lightsets being designated 10A, 10B, 10C . . . 10N. The light strip 12 isconnected to control apparatus 14 to form a light strip combination 20,the control apparatus 14 comprising a control chip 16 and a triggerswitch 18 for activating the control chip 16. More particularly as shownin FIG. 4, the control chip 16 includes an I/O port 23, a memory 24,three pulse generating circuits 26 (one such being shown), three controlterminals 28 (one such being shown), and a processor 29. It will beunderstood that there can be a single pulse generating circuit 26 havingthree channels for separately controlling the three control terminals28. The control terminals 28 are connected, respectively, to the controlsignal lines L1, L2, and L3 as indicated in FIG. 2.

The trigger switch 18 is connected with the processor through the I/Oport 23. The processor 29 responds to operation of the trigger switch 18by producing a trigger signal TG for calling flashing mode controlinformation corresponding to a predetermined flashing mode from thememory 24. Subsequent activations of the trigger switch 18 produceadditional trigger signals TG that call from the memory 24 flashing modecontrol information that is typically different from a current flashingmode. Preferably the switch 22 is a flicker (momentary inertia) switch.Other forms of the switch 22, or more generally one or more inputdevices, such as keyboards, touch screens, and sensors responsive toenvironmental factors are within the scope of the present invention.

The processor 29 acquires flashing mode control information from thememory 24 and transfers the information to the respective control pulsegenerating circuits 26 (or independent channels of a single pulsegenerating circuit), and corresponding pulse control signals aregenerated for each of the control signal lines L1, L2, and L3 of thelight strip 12. Thus, the light strip 12 can be controlled to flash in aparticular pattern or mode.

In operation, control signal levels of opposite polarity are applied totwo of the control signal lines, L2 and L3 for example, and theremaining control signal line L1 is kept in a floating state.Alternatively, control signal levels of opposite polarity are applied tothe first and second control signal lines L1 and L2, and the thirdcontrol signal line L3 is kept in a floating state. Thus, four activestate combinations of the light set circuit 10 in which activation of aselected one only of the LEDs can be achieved according to the presentinvention as shown in Table 1 below, in which a high level isrepresented by a 1, a low level is represented by a 0, the floatingstate is represented by a dash (-), and a check mark (✓) represents thecorresponding LED (D1, D2, D3, or D4) being on. Inactivation of all fourof the LEDs is achieved in an inactive state 0 by any of several controlsignal line combinations, such as each of the control signal lines L1,L2, and L3 being at the same potential, the high level (1) for example.

TABLE 1 Control signal line LED light source State L1 L2 L3 D1 D2 D3 D4State 0 1 1 1 State 1 — 0 1 ✓ State 2 — 1 0 ✓ State 3 1 0 — ✓ State 4 0— 1 ✓ State 5 1 0 1 ✓ ✓

Thus as shown in Table 1, the light set circuit can turn on each LEDlight source D1-D4 separately by applying opposite control signal levelsto two control signal lines L2 and either L1 or L3 of only three controlsignal lines L1, L2, and L3. Waveforms for an exemplary following flashsequence 21 for the light strip 12 are shown in FIG. 3A, wherein thecontrol signal lines are driven sequentially and repetitively in thestate combinations 1 through 4 of Table 1, as further described below.As used herein, a following, or flowing flash sequence is one in whichsuccessive light sources that are distributed lengthwise in a lightstrip are actuated sequentially for creating a one or more movingillumination regions. As described above, each light set circuit 10includes four light points (D1, D2, D3, and D4), each corresponding toan LED light source; thus there are 4n LED light sources or light pointsin the entire light strip 12, where n is the number of the light setcircuits 10.

As further shown in Table 1, an additional state combination 5 providessimultaneous activation of the light points D1 and D3.

In a preferred example of the present invention, the plurality of lightset circuits 10 of the light strip 12 have the same complement of LEDlight sources and the same connection structure of the control signallines at the corresponding light sources. For example, in the lightstrip 12 of FIG. 2 using the light set circuits as shown in FIG. 1, thepositive terminals of the first LED sources D1 are all connected withthe third control signal line L3, and the negative terminals of thefirst LED sources D1 are all connected to the second control signal lineL2. Similarly, the positive terminals of the second LED sources D2 areall connected to the second control signal line L2 and the negativeterminals of the second LED sources D2 are all connected to the thirdcontrol signal line L3. Likewise, the positive terminals of the thirdLED sources D3 are all connected with the first control signal line L1,the negative terminals of the third LED sources D3 are all connectedwith the second control signal line L2. Moreover, the positive terminalsof the fourth LED sources D4 are all connected to the third controlsignal line L3 and the negative terminals of the fourth LED sources D4are all connected with the first control signal line L1. In this way,the first LED light sources D1 of the plurality of light set circuits 10have the same flashing/lighting operation. The other LED light sourcesD2, D3, D4 of the plurality of light set circuits 10 also have the sameflashing/lighting operation of their own. By activation of the controlsignal lines L1, L2, and L3 sequentially in the states 1 through 4 inTable 1, the four LED light sources in each light set circuit 10sequentially flash and cycle according to their placement along thelight strip, as shown in FIG. 3A: D1→D2→D3→D4, this following or flowingflash sequence 21 being initiated by operation of the trigger switch 18for producing a trigger pulse TGA as described above. This sequence ispreferably repeated a predetermined number of times or indefinitely asindicated by dashed lines (- - -) in FIG. 3A. A subsequent triggersignal TGB preferably initiates a different flash sequence, such as areverse flash sequence 22 that activates D4→D3→D2→D1→etc. as furthershown in FIG. 3B. Thus, the entire light strip 12 can produce a visualeffect similar to a following flashing display, the LED light sourcesflashing from one side to the other side of the light strip, in eitheror both directions.

Of course, those skilled in this field can understand that according tothe above table, a variety of flashing modes or sequences can also bedefined for the light strips, the following flashing display mode ofFIGS. 3A and 3B described above being only exemplary, and thesesequences can be arranged in any order in response to repeatedactivations of the trigger switch 18.

In the exemplary following flashing display mode control timing shown inFIGS. 3A and 3B, there are pulse intervals of 100 ms duration, with theLED light sources being activated sequentially in successive intervals,and repeated in subsequent intervals that are represented by dashedlines (- - -), the sequence being repeated a predetermined number oftimes, or until interrupted by another activating trigger signal TG.

With further reference to FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B, FIG. 5C, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7,an alternative configuration of the light set circuit, designated 30,includes the three control signal lines L1, L2, and L3, and anadditional pair of LED light sources, designated D5 and D6, that areconnected in reverse with each other between the first control signalline L1 and the third control signal line L3. FIG. 5A further shows thecontrol apparatus 14 including a USB_IN socket 25 by which the batteryof the apparatus can be charged through suitable conventional circuitry(not shown), the battery having a conventional filter capacitor C2. TheUSB_IN socket 25 also serves as an input port for setting activationdurations and/or gaps between activations of LEDs and/or otherelectrical load elements. It will be understood that such inputfunctions can be directly interfaced with the memory 24 as well.Suitable input devices can include a handwritten touch screen, a keypad,and a display device. The display device and the keyboard can be anintegral structure or separate elements.

By setting the light emitting duration of the light-emitting diode, theflashing frequency of the light strip can be controlled to createdifferent visual perceptions and environmental atmospheres. For example,an LED can have a long light emitting duration, and a slower flashingfrequency, providing a softer visual experience, which is advantageousfor decoration and aesthetics applications. When the LED has a shortlight emitting duration and a faster flashing frequency, the visualexperience is stronger, which is advantageous in warning situations.

The control chip 16 can include a sensor that senses environmentalparameters of the environment where the light strip is located, and apower regulator that adjusts power output to the light-emitting diodeaccording to environmental parameters. The control chip outputsdifferent power levels to the LEDs through the power regulator tocontrol the light emitting intensity of the LEDs. The sensor can includea light sensor and a sound sensor, the environmental parameters thusincluding light and sound. The control chip 16 responds to higher lightlevels sensed by the light sensor by increasing the power output fromthe power regulator to the LED; conversely, lower light levels sensed bythe light sensor produce reduced power output from the power regulatorto the LED.

Also, or alternatively, the control chip 16 can include a sound sensorfor sensing environmental sound levels and correspondingly adjusting LEDbrightness. In some situations, greater sound levels sensed by the soundsensor cause increased power output by the power regulator to the LED;reduced sound levels cause decreased power output by the power regulatorto the LED. In other situations, smaller sound levels sensed by thesound sensor produce increased power output from the power regulator tothe light-emitting diode is; increased sound levels sensed by the soundsensor produce decreased power output from the power regulator to theLED. Further, the USB IN socket 25 can receive input for settingemitting light durations and/or timing intervals of the LED according tothe environmental parameters sensed by the sensor.

FIG. 5B shows the combination of FIG. 5A having a counterpart of thelight set circuit having different designations of the LED light sourcesD1-D6. FIG. 5C further shows the combination of FIG. 5B having acounterpart of the control apparatus, designated 14′, with the additionof a power switch K1 between the rechargeable battery and the BATterminal of the control chip 16. The power switch K1 prevents thetrigger switch SW1 from being falsely triggered, causing therechargeable DC power source to be consumed when the light strip is notbeing used. When the power switch K1 is in the open state, even if thetrigger switch SW1 is triggered, the entire light emitting component isin an open condition, and the light strip is thus prevented fromentering an in-use condition, effectively preventing the powerconsumption problem caused by the trigger switch SW1 being falselytriggered.

Preferably, the LED light sources are arranged separately in two lightpoints (a first light point 31 and a second light point 32) that areconnected between the three control signal lines as shown in FIG. 6.Pairs of the light points 31 and 32 form respective light set circuits,namely set 1 (30A), set 2 (30B), and set 3 (30C) being connected insequence along the three control signal lines L1, L2, and L3 to form acounterpart of the light strip 12, designated 33, as shown in FIG. 7.Each of the light points 31 and 32 preferably includes three differentcolor LED light sources.

Specifically, each light point includes three LED light sources, thefirst light point 31 including the light sources D1, D2 and D3. Thepositive terminal of the light source D1 is connected to the secondcontrol signal line L2, and the negative terminal of the light source D1is connected to the first control signal line L1. The positive terminalof the light source D2 is connected to the third control signal line L3,and the negative terminal of the light source D2 is connected to thesecond control signal line L2. The positive terminal of the light sourceD3 is connected to the first control signal line L1, and the negativeterminal of the light source D3 is connected to the third control signalline L3.

The second light point 32 includes the light source D4, the light sourceD5, and the light source D6. The positive terminal of the light sourceD4 is connected to the second control signal line L2, and the negativeterminal of the light source D4 is connected to the third control signalline L3. The negative terminal of the light source D5 is connected tothe second control signal line L2, and the positive terminal of thelight source D5 is connected to the first control signal line L1. Thenegative terminal of the light source D6 is connected to the firstcontrol signal line L1, and the positive terminal of the light source D6is connected to the third control signal line L3.

With further reference to FIG. 12, it will be understood that typicalLEDs include a series-connected pair of light-emitting silicon diodes ina single compact package as indicated at D1 in FIG. 12, each silicondiode having a forward voltage of approximately 0.7V. Thus D1 forexample has a forward voltage of approximately 1.4V, being inactive andemitting no light (and passing no significant current) until close to1.4V is applied. If increased application of forward voltage is appliedthere is a rapid increase in current and consequent increased brightnessis produced. Thus six LED light sources can be independently activatedfrom the three control signal lines without use of an additional commonconnection. More particularly, if the control signal line L2 is drivenhigh (1.4V), the control signal line L1 is held low (ground), and thecontrol signal line L3 is kept in a floating state, D1 is activated butD4 and D6 are not activated in that they see only approximately 0.7V.

With further reference to FIG. 13, it is also known to package areverse-connected pair of LEDs together, the LEDs D1 and D2 being of thesame color or different colors and herein considered as a group G ofpolarized loads. Further, the term “group” is to be understood asapplying whether or not D1 and D2 are packaged together or separately,and whether or not both D1 and D2 are present. With further reference toFIGS. 14-17, the term “polarized load” can also apply to an LED Dconnected in series with a resistive element R as shown in FIG. 14, theresistive element serving as a current limiter, a heater, and/or aninterface to an external device. Also, the resistive element R can beseries-connected to a non light-emitting diode D′ as shown in FIG. 15.Other electrical load elements are also within the scope of the presentinvention as shown in FIG. 16 wherein the diode D (or LED) isseries-connected with an actuator, which can be a DC motor, solenoid,etc. Thus a combination of motors and other electrical loads can beindividually controlled using fewer conductors than would otherwise bepossible. It is even possible to provide bidirectional operation of a DCmotor with the addition of another diode D of opposite polarity as shownin FIG. 17, each of the motor and the diodes D to be connected todifferent ones of the control signal lines L It will be understood thatthe arrangement of FIG. 17 requires that the control signal linevoltages between the two diodes not reach the combined forward voltagerating of the diodes.

In the light set circuit 30 of FIG. 6, three LED light sources D1, D2,D3 of the first light point 31 are preferably different color LED lightsources. Similarly, three LED light sources D4, D5, D6 of the secondlight point 32 are also different color LED light sources. Preferably,each light point includes a red LED light source, a green LED lightsource and a blue LED light source. The light source D1 and the lightsource D4 are preferably the same color, which can be red, the lightsource D2 and the light source D5 are also preferably the same color,which can be green, and the light source D3 and the light source D6 areof the same color, which can be yellow or blue.

As further shown in FIG. 7, the control signal lines L1, L2, and L3 areconnected to the control chip 16 of a counterpart of the controlapparatus 14, more particularly to corresponding terminals 28 asdescribed above. In operation as described above, control signal levelsof opposite polarity are applied to two control signal lines, and theremaining control signal line is kept in a floating state forindividually activating selected ones of the six light points or sourcesD1-D6 in the configuration of FIGS. 5A, 6, and 7.

With further reference to FIG. 8, the light strip combination 20 of FIG.2 or the light strip combination 20′ of FIG. 7 can be incorporated in auseful article, such as an article of clothing, one such article being ashoe lower portion 64 as shown in FIG. 8. The control apparatus 14 islocated within the shoe lower portion 60 in a conventional manner, thelight strip 33 extending proximate a perimeter portion within the shoelower portion 60 that is sufficiently translucent to be seen whenactivated.

Exemplary flash sequences for this configuration are described belowwith further reference to FIGS. 9A-9G. Particularly, each of the six LEDlight sources D1-D6 can be individually activated in correspondingstates 1-6 according to Table 2 below, the symbols therein correspondingto those of Table 1 above, additional columns of Table 2 indicatingexemplary colors and light points of activation. The column labeledColor-Point A reflects the light sources D1 and D4 being red, the lightsources D2 and D5 being green, and the light sources D3 and D6 beingblue. The column labeled Color-Point B reflecting the light sources D5and D6 being changed to blue and green, respectively. It will be furtherunderstood that the polarities of the light sources D2 and D4 can bereversed from that shown in FIG. 6, being activated when the signalcontrol lines L1, L2, and L3 are driven, respectively in state 3 (- 0 1)and state 2 (- 1 0).

TABLE 2 Control First Second signal light light line point point Color-Color- State L1 L2 L3 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 Point A Point B State 0 1 1 1State 1 0 1 — ✓ Red-1 Red-1 State 2 — 1 0 ✓ Red-2 Red-2 State 3 — 0 1 ✓Grn-1 Grn-1 State 4 1 0 — ✓ Grn-2 Blu-2 State 5 1 — 0 ✓ Blu-1 Blu-1State 6 0 — 1 ✓ Blu-2 Grn-2

As shown in Table 2, the light set circuit 30 can turn on each LED lightsource D1-D3 of the first light point 31 and each LED light source D4-D6of the second light point 32 separately by applying the control level totwo control signal lines of only three control signal lines L1-L3, theremaining control line being kept on a floating state.

Similarly to the above-described exemplary configuration of FIGS. 1, 2,3A, 3B and 4, the light set circuits 30, individually designated 30A(Set 1), 30B (Set 2), and 30C (Set 3), form a counterpart of the lightstrip 12, designated 33, as shown in the dashed box in FIG. 7. It willbe understood that additional light set circuits 30 can be connected tothe same control signal lines L1, L2, and L3 of the light strip 32. Eachlight set circuit 30 includes the two light points 31 and 32. Thus thereare 2n light points in the entire light strip 33, where n is the numberof the light set circuits 30 and is greater than 1, and each light pointincluding three LED light sources, a total of 6n light sources.

Preferably, the plurality of light set circuits 30 have identicalcounterparts of the three LED light sources in respective ones of thelight points 31 and 32, and the same connection structure to the controlsignal lines at the corresponding light points. For example, in thelight set circuits 30 as shown in FIG. 6, the first light point 31includes the light source D1, the light source D2 and the light sourceD3. The positive terminal of the first LED light source D1 is connectedto the second control signal line L2, and the negative terminal of thefirst LED light source D1 is connected to the first control signal lineL1. The positive terminal of the light source D2 is connected to thethird control signal line L3, and the negative terminal of the D2 lightsource is connected to the second control signal line L2. The positiveterminal of the light source D3 is connected to the first control signalline L1, and the negative terminal of the light source D3 is connectedto the third control signal line L3. The second light point 32 includesthe light source D4, the light source D5, and the light source D6. Thenegative terminal of the light source D4 is connected to the thirdcontrol signal line L3, and the positive terminal of the light source D4is connected to the second control signal line L2. The negative terminalof the light source D5 is connected to the second control signal lineL2, and the positive terminal of the light source D5 is connected to thefirst control signal line L1. The negative terminal of the light sourceD6 is connected to the first control signal line L1, and the positiveterminal of the light source D6 is connected to the third control signalline L3. Thus, the first and second light points of the plurality oflight set circuits have the same flashing or lighting mode.

According to the control state sequence in the Table 2 above, lightsources of the first light point and the same color ones of the secondlight point can be controlled to flash alternately on the light strip32. For example, when the light color of the light source D1 is the sameas that of the light source D4, the light color of the light source D2is the same as that of the light source D5, and the light color of thelight source D3 is the same as that of the light source D6 according tothe Color-Point A column of Table 2, the LED light sources can flash andcycle alternately in the same color by a first flash sequence 41 ofD1→D4 as shown in FIG. 9A, by a second flash sequence 42 of D2→D5 asshown in FIG. 9B, or by a third flash sequence 43 of D3→D6 as shown inFIG. 9C. When the colors of the light sources D5 and D6 are reversed asdescribed above according to the Color-Point B column of Table 2, thesame result for the flash sequence 43 is obtained by reversingactivation of the signal control lines L1, L2, and L3 between the State4 (1 0 -) and the state 6 (0 - 1). Thus the entire light strip canproduce a visual effect similar to the flowing or following flashing,and the LED light sources flash from one side to the other side of thelight strip 32.

FIG. 9D further shows a fourth flash sequence 44 wherein, at intervalsof 140 ms, the light sources D1, D6, D2, D4, D3, and D5 are activated insequence, separated by inactive intervals that are also of 140 msduration. Using the exemplary combination of Color-Point A in Table 2,the sequence is red, light point 31 . . . blue, light point 32 . . .green, light point 31 . . . red, light point 32 . . . blue, light point31 . . . green, light point 32.

FIG. 9E shows a fifth flash sequence 45, also at intervals of 140 ms,the light sources D1, D4, D1, D4, etc., are alternately activated, alsointerspersed with inactive intervals of 140 ms. Again, using theexemplary color combination of Color-Point A in Table 2, the sequence isblue, light point 31 . . . blue, light point 32 . . . blue, light point31 . . . blue, light point 32, etc. FIG. 9F shows another and sixthflash sequence 46, again at intervals of 140 ms, the light sources D1,D4, D1, D4, etc., are alternately activated, interspersed with inactiveintervals of 140 ms. Once again, using the exemplary color combinationof Color-Point A in Table 2, the sequence is red, light point 31 . . .red, light point 32 . . . red, light point 31 . . . red, light point 32,etc. FIG. 9G shows still another flash sequence 47, also at intervals of140 ms, the light sources D2, D6, D2, D6, etc., are alternatelyactivated, interspersed with inactive intervals of 140 ms. Once again,using the exemplary color combination of Color-Point A in Table 2, thesequence is green, light point 31 . . . green, light point 32 . . .green, light point 31 . . . green, light point 32, etc.

In one preferred variation and with particular reference to FIG. 5A, thelight-emitting colors of the LED D1 and the LED D4 are the same and areone of red, blue, and green, The combination of D1 and D4 beingconsidered herein as a first light emitting element. When the first LEDD1 and the fourth LED D4 are alternately lit during a certain timeinterval (for example, not exceeding 20 ms), the human eye cannotrecognize the alternate flashing of the first LED D1 and the fourth LEDD4 due to the persistence of vision (in this variation, it is a constantor continuous light mode); thereby, the light emitting effect of thefirst light emitting element continuously emitting light is observed,and the light emitted by the first light emitting element exhibits thelight emitting colors of the first LED D1 and the fourth LED D4. If thelight emitting colors of the first LED D1 and the fourth LED D4 are red,the first light emitting element exhibits a light-emitting effect ofcontinuous light-emitting, and emits red light.

Of course, the light emitting colors of the first LED D1 and the fourthLED D4 can also be different, typically each being one of red, blue, andgreen, respectively. When the first LED D1 and the fourth LED D4 arealternately lit during a particular time interval (for example, a timeinterval not exceeding 20 ms), the human eye cannot recognize thealternate flashing of the first LED D1 and the fourth LED D4 due to thepersistence of vision, thus the light emitting effect of the first lightemitting element continuously emitting light is observed, and the lightemitted by the first light emitting element exhibits a mixed color ofthe first LED D1 and the fourth LED D4. If the light emitting colors ofthe first LED D1 and the fourth LED D4 are red and blue, respectively,the first light emitting element exhibits a continuous light-emitting ofmixed colors of red and blue.

Similarly, the light emitting colors of the second LED D2 and the thirdLED D3, (a second light emitting element) and light emitting colors ofthe fifth LED D5 and the sixth LED D6 (a third light emitting element)can also be selected in the above manner.

In addition, in some situations where a clear light and dark effect isrequired, the time interval between the extinction of one LED and thelighting the next LED can be adjusted to overcome the visualpersistence, enabling the light strip to be clearly extinguished betweenthe lighting of successive LEDs. For example, the time interval can beset to be no less than 0.5 seconds.

Examples of different light emitting modes of the light strip are shownin FIGS. 10A to 10L, but those skilled in the art will know that thelight emitting effects of the light strip described above is not limitedto the examples shown in FIGS. 10A to 10L. In the sequence shown in FIG.10E, R1 is the first (red) LED D1, R2 is the second (red) LED D4,together considered the first (red) light emitting element (R); B1 isthe first (blue) LED D5, B2 is the second (blue) LED D6, togetherconsidered the second (blue) light emitting element (B); the third LEDD3 is the first (green) LED G1, the fourth LED D4 is the second (green)LED G2, together considered the third (green) light emitting element(G). Of course, those skilled in the art can also arbitrarily select thecolors of the LEDs, and the colors are not limited to the three colorsof red, green and blue.

The memory 24 of FIG. 4 as described above holds data defining theflashing mode information respectively corresponding to the flashingmodes of the light strip 32, such as the flowing flashing mode controlinformation as shown in FIGS. 9A-9G, the control signal lines L1, L2,and L3 being driven as described above in connection with FIG. 4. Moreparticularly, a first activation of the trigger switch 18 produces afirst trigger pulse TG1, initiating the first flash sequence 41 as shownin FIG. 9A, in which there is alternating flashing of the (red) LEDlight sources D1 and D4, respectively in the first and second lightpoints 31 and 32 of the light set circuit of FIG. 6. A second activationof the trigger switch 18 produces a second trigger pulse TG2 thatinitiates the second flash sequence 42 as shown in FIG. 9B, in whichthere is alternating flashing of the (green) LED light sources D2 andD5, again respectively in the first and second light points 31 and 32.Similarly, a third activation of the trigger switch 18 produces a thirdtrigger pulse TG3, initiating the third flash sequence 43 as shown inFIG. 9C, in which there is alternating flashing of the (blue) LED lightsources D3 and D6, also respectively in the first and second lightpoints 31 and 32. In like manner, additional activations of the triggerswitch 18 can produce fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh trigger pulsesTG4, TGS, TG6, and TG7, for initiating the flash sequences 44, 45, 46,and 47, as respectively shown in FIGS. 9D, 9E, 9F, and 9G.

Of course, those skilled in this field of art can understand thataccording to the above Table 2, a variety of flashing modes or sequencescan also be defined for both the light strip 12 and the light strip 32.The flowing flashing modes mentioned above are only exemplary. Also anynumber of the sequences of FIGS. 9A-9G can be stored in the memory 24 ofthe control apparatus 14, and in any order.

The present invention additionally enables flash sequences in whichselected pairs of the light sources of the light set circuit 30 can besimultaneously activated as described below with further reference toFIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D. In addition to the individual activationsof four different LED light sources as described above in the light setcircuit 10 of FIG. 1 and of six different LED light sources in the lightset circuit 30 of FIG. 5A, the present invention enables simultaneousactivation of selected pairs of the LED light sources as describedherein with further reference to FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D, and thefollowing Table 3.

TABLE 3 Control First Second signal light light line point point ColorsA Colors B State L1 L2 L3 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 (1) (2) (1) (2) State 0 1 1✓ ✓ Red-Blu Red-Grn 7 State 1 0 1 ✓ ✓ Grn-Grn Grn-Blu 8 State 1 1 0 ✓ ✓Blu-Red Blu-Red 9 State 1 0 0 ✓ ✓ Blu-Grn Blu-Blu 10 State 0 1 0 ✓ ✓Red-Red Red-Red 11 State 0 0 1 ✓ ✓ Grn-Blu Grn-Grn 12

FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C and 10D show a flash sequence combination in which afirst operation of the switch 18 produces a counterpart of the firsttrigger pulse TG1 that initiates an eighth flash sequence 51 as shown inFIG. 10A in which pairs of the light sources, namely, light sources D3and D4, D2 and D5, and then D1 and D6 are activated for 35 ms atintervals of 100 ms. This is followed by corresponding activations ofthe light source pairs D2 and D5, D3 and D4, D1 and D6, D2 and D5, andfinally D3 and D4 during an elapsed time of 835 ms. This is accomplishedby the control apparatus 14 activating the control signal lines L1, L2,and L3 according to the states 7, 8, and 9 of Table 3 as also indicatedin FIG. 10A. The final activation of the pair D3 and D4 can terminatethe sequence, or preferably also be the beginning of endless or apredetermined number of repetitions of this pattern, until interruptedby a subsequent activation of the trigger switch 18 that produces acounterpart of the second trigger signal TG2 for initiating a differentflashing sequence such as a ninth sequence 52 as shown in FIG. 10B. FIG.10B shows individual activations which can also be for 35 ms, atintervals of 80 ms. These activations are in the sequence D6, D5, D4,D3, D2, D1, then D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, followed by D5, D4, D3, D2, and D1during an elapsed time of 1,235 ms. This is accomplished by the controlapparatus 14 activating the control signal lines L1, L2, and L3according to the states 1-6 of Table 2 as also shown in FIG. 10B. Thefinal activation of the light source D1 can terminate the sequence, orpreferably also be the beginning of endless or a predetermined number ofrepetitions of this pattern, until interrupted by a subsequentactivation of the switch 18 that produces another trigger signal forinitiating a different flashing sequence which can be the eighthsequence 51 according to FIG. 10A. FIGS. 10C and 10D show further modes,designated tenth flash sequence 53 and eleventh flash sequence 54,respectively as activated by respective counterpart trigger signals TG3and TG4, in which light source pairs are activated for extended periods,either terminated by a predetermined elapsed time or by subsequentactivations of the trigger switch 18. The tenth flash sequence 53 ofFIG. 10C activates the light sources D3 and D6 (both green) indefinitelyor for a predetermined period; the eleventh flash sequence 54 of FIG.10D activated the light sources D2 and D4 (both red), also indefinitelyor for a predetermined period, until terminated by a subsequentactivation of an ON/Off switch (not shown), which can be connected inseries with the BAT terminal (1) of the control chip 16, or through theUSB_IN socket 25.

With further reference to FIG. 10E, a red-blue flash sequence 55cyclically activates the LEDs to emit light in the order of R1*B1→R2*B2in response to a trigger signal TG5. (The * sign indicates simultaneouslight emission.), Each LED has a light emitting duration of T, thelight-emitting interval of the two LEDs before and after is T. In FIG.10E, T is 140 ms. If the time of one T is used as a counting unit, thelight emitting mode shown in FIG. 10E is an odd red and blue mixed lightemitting mode, and the light emitting mode is a flashing mode. Inaddition, the LEDs can also emit light cyclically in the order ofR1*B2→R2*B1 (the * sign indicates simultaneous light emission asbefore). Of course, there can also be other two-color light emittingmodes, such as a red-green mixed light emitting mode, or a blue-greenmixed light-emitting mode.

With further reference to FIGS. 10F, 10G, and 10H, pairs of LEDs of thesame color alternately flash. FIG. 10F shows a continuous blue coloreffect 56 produced in response to a trigger signal TG6. The light striplight emitting mode shown in FIG. 10F is in a trigger period, in whichthe LEDs B1 and B2 alternately flash, and the time interval between thedark and the next bright between the LEDs B1 and B2 is not more than 0.1second, thereby the third light emitting element (B) seems to continueemitting blue light. The light emitting mode shown in FIG. 10F is thus ablue light monochrome light mode.

Here, “the time interval between the dark and the next bright betweenthe LED B1 and the LED B2” refers to the LED B1 is extinguished, andthen LED B2 is lit, or the LED B2 is extinguished, and then the LED B1is lit. The following descriptions related to FIGS. 10G and 10H beloware similar.

FIG. 10G shows a continuous green color effect 57 in response to atrigger signal TG7. In this trigger period the first green LED G1 andthe second green LED G2 alternately flash, and the time interval betweenthe dark and the next bright between the first green LED G1 and thesecond green LED G2 is also not more than 0.1 second, so that the secondlight emitting element (G) seems to continue to emit green light. Thelight emitting mode shown in FIG. 10G is thus a green light monochromeconstant light mode.

FIG. 10H likewise shows a continuous red color effect 58 in response toa trigger signal TG8. In this trigger period the first red LED R1 andthe second red LED R2 alternately flash, and the time interval betweenthe dark and the next bright between the first red LED R1 and the secondred LED R2 is also not more than 0.1 second, so that the third lightemitting element (R) seems to continue to emit red light. The lightemitting mode shown in FIG. 10H is thus a red light monochrome constantlight mode.

With further reference to FIG. 10I, a mixed three-color effect 59 isgenerated in response to a trigger signal TG9 the first red LED R1 andthe second red LED R2 alternately flash, and the time interval betweenthe dark and the next bright between the first red LED R1 and the secondLED R2 is not more than 0.1 second; the first blue LED B1 and the secondblue LED B2 alternately flash, the time interval between the dark andthe next bright between the first blue LED B1 and the second blue LED B2is not more than 0.1 second; and the first green LED G1 and the secondgreen LED G2 also alternately flash, the time interval between the darkand the next bright between the first green LED G1 and the second greenLED G2 being again not more than 0.1 second. the time interval betweenthe dark and the next bright of the first light emitting element (R) isnot more than 0.1 second, and the time interval between the dark and thenext bright of the third light emitting element (B) is not more than 0.1second, and the time interval between the dark and the next bright ofthe second light emitting element (G) is not more than 0.1 second. Thelight emitting mode shown in FIG. 10I is thus a red, blue, and greenconstant mixed light mode.

With further reference to FIG. 10J, a similar constant red and bluemixed light emitting mode 61 is shown. In one trigger period the firstred LED R1 and the second red LED R2 alternately flash, and the timeinterval between the dark and the next bright between the first red LEDR1 and the second red LED R2 is not more than 0.1 second; the first blueLED B1 and the second blue LED B2 alternately flash, and the timeinterval between the dark and the next bright between the first blue LEDB1 and the second blue LED B2 is not more than 0.1 second; the timeinterval between the dark and the next bright of the first lightemitting element (R) is not more than 0.1 second, and the time intervalbetween the dark and the next bright of the third light emitting element(B) is not more than 0.1 second.

With further reference to FIG. 10K, another constant mixed lightemitting mode provides, in one trigger period, the first red LED R1 andthe second red LED R2 alternately flash, and the time interval betweenthe dark and the next bright between the first red LED R1 and the secondred LED R2 is not more than 0.1; the first green LED G1 and the secondgreen LED G2 alternately flash, and the time interval between the darkand the next bright between the first green LED G1 and the second greenLED G2 is not more than 0.1; the time interval between the dark and thenext bright of the first light emitting element (R) is not more than 0.1second, and the time interval between the dark and the next bright ofthe second light emitting element (G) is not more than 0.1 second. Thelight emitting mode shown in FIG. 10K is thus a red and green mixedlight constant light mode.

With further reference to FIG. 10L, yet a different mixed sequence 62 isprovided in a triggering period, wherein the light strip emits lightcyclically in the order of the first light emitting element (R)→thethird light emitting element (B)→the second light emitting element (G).Each light emitting element is activated for a duration T, and there isno delay between two light emitting activations. In FIG. 10L, exemplaryactivation durations T are 140 ms, resulting in a three-coloralternating light emitting mode without gaps, and the light emittingmode is a flashing mode. Of course, the order of activations canalternatively be red, green, blue; green red blue; green, blue, red;blue, green, red; or blue, red, green. Of course, the light emittingduration T can also have other values depending on specificapplications.

By setting the light emitting durations of the LEDs, the bright and darkfrequency of the LEDs can be controlled, so that the light stripexhibits different visual effects. For example, in the odd bluemonochrome light emitting mode shown in FIG. 9E, the light emittinginterval of the two LEDs R1 and R2 before and after can be adjusted bythe input device, so that the light-emitting interval is not recognizedby the human eye, and the visual effect shown in FIG. 9E is the same asshown in FIG. 10H. The light-emitting duration is set by the inputdevice, and in the interval between light-emitting intervals, no voltageis applied to the LED, thereby saving energy.

With further reference to FIGS. 11, 18, 19, 20, and 21, the presentinvention provides a greatly increased variety of control options withthe addition of one or more control signal lines. With particularreference to FIG. 11, a counterpart of the light strip combination,designated load strip combination 20″, includes a counterpart of thecontrol apparatus, designated 14″, which can drive a plurality N ofcontrol lines, wherein N is a natural number greater than or equal to 3,individual ones of the control signal lines being designated L1, L2, L3,. . . LN. In FIG. 11, the control apparatus 14″ includes any suitablepower supply 15. The control signal lines are coupled to a counterpartof the light strip, designated load set circuit 40 in which an array ofelectrical load sets can have individual loads thereof independentlyactivated.

For example, FIG. 18 shows a light strip combination 100 including acounterpart of the control chip, designated 116, with four controlsignal lines L1, L2, L3, and L4 driving a counterpart of the load setcircuit, designated light set circuit 130. The light set circuit 130 isshown having LEDs D1 and D2 as a group (as described above and shown inFIG. 13) reverse-connected between the control signal lines L1 and L2,LEDs D3 and D4 reverse-connected between the control signal lines L2 andL3, LEDs D5 and D5 reverse-connected between the control signal lines L3and L4, LEDs D7 and D8 reverse-connected between the control signallines L1 and L3, LEDs D9 and D10 reverse-connected between the controlsignal lines L2 and L4, and LEDs D11 and D12 reverse-connected betweenthe control signal lines L1 and L4. As indicated in the following Table4 and FIG. 19, each of the LEDs D1-D12 can be singly activated in athird following flash sequence 71 using just the four signal controllines L1, L2, L3, and L4.

TABLE 4 CONTROL TIME LINE LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE STATE L1 L2 L3 L4 D1 D2D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 1 1 0 — — ✓ 2 0 1 — — ✓ 3 — 1 0 — ✓ 4 —0 1 — ✓ 5 — — 1 0 ✓ 6 — — 0 1 ✓ 7 1 — 0 — ✓ 8 0 — 1 — ✓ 9 — 1 — 0 ✓ 10 —0 — 1 ✓ 11 1 — — 0 ✓ 12 0 — — 1 ✓

It will be understood that this four-line control apparatus providessignificant advantages over the above-described three-line embodimentsof FIGS. 1, 2, 3A, 3B, 4, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6, 7, 8, 9A-9G, and 10A-10L,whether or not the LEDs D11 and D12 are included, or even whether theLEDs D9 and 10 are also omitted, in that with the addition of the fourthcontrol line L4 two additional LEDs D7 and D8 can be individuallyactivated. It will be further understood that only one of the LEDs ofparticular such groups could be included and still be within the scopeof the present invention. For example in the light set circuit of FIG.6, D6 could be left out as long as D3 remains.

As described above in connection with the configuration of FIG. 5A, FIG.6, and Table 3, the present invention in the four-line embodiment FIG.18 additionally enables flash sequences in which more than one of thelight sources (or other electrical loads) of the light set circuit 40can be simultaneously activated as described below with furtherreference to Table 5. In addition to the individual activations of up to12 different LED light sources in the light set circuit 130 of FIG. 18,the present invention enables simultaneous activation of selected pairs,triplets, and quadruplets of the LED light sources as described. Forexample the LED pair of D1 and D4 is simultaneously activated in State13 by driving the control signal lines L1 and L3 high, L2 low andkeeping L4 in a floating state. In another example, the LEDs D2, D4, andD9 are simultaneously activated in State 26 by driving the controlsignal line L2 high with L1, L3, and L4 held low. Further, the LEDs D3,D7, d9, and D11 are simultaneously activated by driving the controlsignal lines L1 and L2 high while holding L3 and L4 low.

TABLE 5 Control line Light-emitting diode State L1 L2 L3 L4 D1 D2 D3 D4D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 13 1 0 1 — ✓ ✓ 14 1 0 0 — ✓ ✓ 15 1 0 — 1 ✓ ✓16 1 0 — 0 ✓ ✓ 17 1 0 0 1 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 18 1 0 0 0 ✓ ✓ ✓ 19 1 0 1 1 ✓ ✓ ✓ 20 10 1 0 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 21 0 1 1 — ✓ ✓ 22 0 1 0 — ✓ ✓ 23 0 1 — 1 ✓ ✓ 24 0 1 — 0 ✓✓ 25 0 1 0 1 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 26 0 1 0 0 ✓ ✓ ✓ 27 0 1 1 1 ✓ ✓ ✓ 28 0 1 1 0 ✓ ✓ ✓✓ 29 1 — 0 1 ✓ ✓ 30 1 — 0 0 ✓ ✓ 31 — 0 0 1 ✓ ✓ 32 — 0 1 0 ✓ ✓ 33 1 1 0 1✓ ✓ ✓ 34 1 1 1 0 ✓ ✓ ✓ 35 1 1 0 — ✓ ✓ 36 0 0 1 — ✓ ✓ 37 0 0 — 1 ✓ ✓ 38 11 — 0 ✓ ✓ 39 0 — 0 1 40 0 — 1 0 41 — 1 0 1 ✓ ✓ 42 — 1 1 0 ✓ ✓ 43 1 1 0 0✓ ✓ 44 — 1 0 0 ✓ ✓

With further reference to FIGS. 20 and 21, the present inventionprovides a particularly low cost implementation of cascading sequenceswherein a plurality of LEDs or other light sources appear to beactivated simultaneously, with trailing light sources being inactivatedat the rear of the plurality as new ones are activated up front. In oneexample, the LEDs D1-D10 of the combination of FIG. 18 are activated ina cascading sequence 72 wherein four LEDs at a time appear to beactivated, with trailing ones being inactivated as new ones areactivated ahead. During an interval T of 100 ms, for example, any of theLEDs D1-D10 can be activated separately ten times for 1 ms at a time inten sub-intervals T′ of 10 ms each (at a frequency f′ of 100 Hz), atotal of 100 such 1 ms activations. The activations of particular onesof the LEDs D1-D10 are staggered as shown in FIG. 21, only one LED at atime being activated, yet four appearing to be activated due to visualpersistence as described above. More particularly, in response to atrigger pulse TG13, each of the LEDs ate pulsed during four consecutiveperiods of the 100 ms interval T, the process repeating any desirednumber of times or as interrupted by another trigger pulse as describedabove.

The interval T is also the time between successive advancements of theLED activations, so that, in the exemplary timing diagrams of FIGS. 20and 21, once a particular plurality of four LEDs are apparentlyactivated, a new leading one is activated 100 ms later, 90 ms followinga final 1 ms activation of a previously trailing apparently activatedLED. It will be further understood that if T′ is increased to 12 ms thefull complement of LEDs D1-D12 can be included in a counterpart of thesequence 72 of FIGS. 20 and 21. Further, other numbers of apparentlysimultaneous activations greater than or less than four are possiblewithin the scope of the present invention, as well as different numbersof control signal lines (N=3 or 5). Moreover, the direction of cascadingcan be reversible.

With particular reference to FIG. 22, FIG. 23, and Table 6, the presentinvention provides a much greatly increased variety of control optionswith the addition of another control signal line. FIG. 22 shows a lightstrip combination 102 including a counterpart of the control chip,designated 118, with five control signal lines L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5driving a counterpart of the load set circuit, designated light setcircuit 132. The light set circuit 132 is shown having the LEDs D1, D2,D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8, d9, D10, D11, and D12 connected as beforedescribed regarding FIG. 18. Further, LEDs D13 and D14 as a group (againas described above and shown in FIG. 13) reverse-connected between thecontrol signal lines L3 and L4, LEDs D15 and D16 reverse-connectedbetween the control signal lines L3 and L5, LEDs D17 and D18reverse-connected between the control signal lines L2 and L4, and LEDsD19 and D20 reverse-connected between the control signal lines L1 andL5.

As indicated in the following Table 6 and FIG. 23, each of the LEDsD1-D20 can be singly activated using just the five signal control linesL1, L2, L3, L4, and L5. It will be understood that this five-linecontrol apparatus provides significant advantages over theabove-described three-line and four-line embodiments of FIGS. 1, 2,3A-3B, 4, 5A-5C, 6-8, 9A-9G, 10A-10L and 11-23, whether or not any ofthe LEDs D17 through D20 are included, or even whether particular onesof the other LEDs D1 through D16 are also omitted, in that with theaddition of the fifth control line L5 four additional LEDs D17, D18,D19, and D20 can be individually activated. It will be furtherunderstood that only one of the LEDs of particular such groups could beincluded to be within the scope of the present invention.

TABLE 6 TIME CONTROL LINE LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE STATE L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 D1D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 T1 1 0 — — — ✓ T2 0 1 — — — ✓ T3 — 1 0 —— ✓ T4 — 0 1 — — ✓ T5 — — 1 0 — ✓ T6 — — 0 1 — ✓ T7 1 — 0 — — ✓ T8 0 — 1— — ✓ T9 — 1 — 0 — ✓ T10 — 0 — 1 — ✓ T11 1 — — 0 — ✓ T12 0 — — 1 — T13 —— — 1 0 T14 — — — 0 1 T15 — — 1 — 0 T16 — — 0 — 1 T17 — 1 — — 0 T18 — 0— — 1 T19 1 — — — 0 T20 0 — — — 1 TIME LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE STATE D12D13 D14 D15 D16 D17 D18 D19 D20 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10 T11 T12 ✓T13 ✓ T14 ✓ T15 ✓ T16 ✓ T17 ✓ T18 ✓ T19 ✓ T20 ✓

As described above in connection with the configuration of FIG. 5A, FIG.6, and Table 3, and FIG. 18 and Table 5, the present invention in thefive-line embodiment of FIG. 19 additionally enables flash sequences inwhich more than one of the light sources (or other electrical loads) ofthe light set circuit 40 can be simultaneously activated as describedabove, with further examples being apparent to those having ordinaryskill in the art. In one such example, the LEDs D1, D4, D5, D14, and D18are simultaneously activated in a fourth following flash sequence 81 bydriving the control signal lines L1 L3, and L5 high with L2 and L4 heldlow.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions arepossible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims shouldnot necessarily be limited to the preferred versions contained herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrical circuit comprising at least fourelectrical loads and a plurality of control signal lines, first andsecond ones of the electrical loads being polarized and connected inreverse polarity with each other between two of the control signallines, a third one of the electrical loads being polarized and connectedbetween one of the first and second ones of the electrical loads and anadditional control signal line of the plurality of control signal lines,and a fourth one of the electrical loads being polarized and connectedbetween the additional control signal line of the control signal linesand one of the two control signal lines, the connections between thethird and fourth electrical loads to the additional control signal lineof the control signal lines being of opposite polarity to each other,the third and fourth electrical loads being connected in reversepolarity, the four electrical loads comprising four light sources beingrespectively a first LED light source, a second LED light source, athird LED light source and a fourth LED light source, the plurality ofcontrol signal lines comprising first, second and third control signallines, wherein the first LED light source and the second LED source areconnected in reverse polarity with each other between the second controlsignal line and the third control signal line, forming a pair ofpolarized light sources, the third LED light source and the fourth LEDlight source being connected in reverse polarity with each other betweenthe first control signal line and the second control signal line,forming another pair of polarized light sources, the electrical circuitfurther comprising an additional pair of polarized light sourcesconnected in reverse polarity with each other between the first andthird control signal lines, whereby one light source of the additionalpair is activated when opposite signals are applied between the firstand third control signal lines, the remaining light source of theadditional pair being activated when the signals are reversed, theelectrical circuit further comprising first and second groups ofpolarized light sources sequentially connected along the three controlsignal lines, one of the polarized light sources of eachreverse-connected pair being included in the first group of polarizedlight sources, the remaining light source of each pair being included inthe second group of polarized light sources whereby a) one of the firstand second electrical loads is independently selectively activated whenopposite signals are applied between the two control signal lines withthe additional control signal line being kept in a floating state; b)the other of the first and second electrical loads is independentlyselectively activated when the signals between the two control signallines are reversed with the additional control signal line remaining inthe floating state; c) the third electrical load is independentlyselectively activated when opposite signals are applied between the oneof the first and second ones of the electrical loads and the additionalcontrol signal line, the other of the two control signal lines beingkept in a floating state; and d) the fourth electrical load isindependently selectively activated when the opposite signals appliedbetween the one of the two electrical loads and the additional controlsignal line are reversed, the other of the two control signal linesbeing kept in a floating state.
 2. The light set circuit of claim 1,wherein each LED light source has a positive terminal and a negativeterminal, the positive terminal of the first LED light source beingconnected to the third control signal line, and the negative terminal ofthe first LED light source being connected to the second control signalline, the positive terminal of the second LED light source beingconnected to the second control signal line, the negative terminal ofthe second LED light source being connected to the third control signalline, the positive terminal of the third LED light source beingconnected to the first control signal line, the negative terminal of thethird LED light source being connected to the second control signalline, the positive terminal of the fourth LED light source beingconnected to the second control signal line, and the negative terminalof the fourth LED light source being connected to the first controlsignal line.
 3. A light strip comprising a plurality of light setcircuits as claimed in claim 1, the first, second, and third controlsignal lines of each light set circuit being respectively connected inparallel.
 4. The light strip of claim 3, in combination with a controlapparatus having three control outputs that are respectively connectedto the first, second, and third control signal lines of the light strip,the control apparatus being configured for selectively applying oppositesignals of selected polarity between the first and second control signallines, the third control signal line being in a floating state, andalternatively, applying opposite signals of selected polarity betweenthe second and third control signal lines, the first control signal linebeing in a floating state.
 5. The light strip combination of claim 4,wherein the control apparatus comprises a memory, a control pulsegenerating circuit and a processor, the memory being connected to theprocessor for storing flashing mode control information defining pluralflashing modes of the light strip, the processor transferring theflashing mode control information from the memory to the control pulsegenerating circuit, the control pulse generating circuit sendingcorresponding pulse control signals to the first, second, and thirdcontrol signal lines of the light strip.
 6. The light strip combinationof claim 5, wherein the memory, the control pulse generating circuit andthe processor are formed in a control chip that further comprises an I/Oport, the control apparatus further comprising a trigger switchconnected to the I/O port, the processor responding to a switchingsignal of the trigger switch by transferring flashing mode controlinformation of a different flashing mode from the memory to the controlpulse generating circuit.
 7. The light strip combination of claim 6,wherein the trigger switch is a flicker switch.
 8. The light stripcombination of claim 5, wherein at least one of the flashing modes is afollowing flashing mode.
 9. The light set circuit of claim 1, whereinthe LED light sources of each group of polarized light sources includethree different color LED light sources respectively, each colored LEDlight source having a positive and a negative terminal.
 10. The lightset circuit of claim 9, wherein: a) the first group of polarized lightsources wherein the positive terminal of the first LED light source isconnected to the second control signal line, the negative terminal ofthe first LED light source is connected to the first control signalline, the positive terminal of the second LED light source is connectedto the second control signal line, the negative terminal of the secondLED light source is connected to the third control signal line, thepositive terminal of the third light source is connected to the firstcontrol signal line, and the negative terminal of the third light sourceis connected with the third control signal line; and b) the second groupof polarized light sources includes a fifth LED light source and a sixthLED light source, the negative terminal of the fourth LED light sourcebeing connected to the second control signal line, and the positiveterminal of the fourth LED light source being connected to the thirdcontrol signal line, the negative terminal of the fifth LED light sourcebeing connected to the second control signal line, the positive terminalof the fifth LED light source being connected to the first controlsignal line, the negative terminal of the sixth light source beingconnected to the first control signal line, and the positive terminal ofthe sixth light source being connected with the third control signalline.
 11. The light set circuit of claim 10, wherein the LED lightsources of each of the first and second groups of polarized lightsources include a red LED light source, a green LED light source and ablue LED light source.
 12. The light set circuit of claim 10, whereinthe first LED light source and the fourth LED light source are the samecolor, the second LED light source and the fifth LED light source arethe same color, and the third LED light source and the sixth LED lightsource are the same color.
 13. A light strip comprising a plurality oflight set circuits as claimed in claim 1, the first, second, and thirdcontrol signal lines of each light set circuit being respectivelyconnected in parallel.
 14. The light strip of claim 13 in combinationwith a control apparatus having three control outputs that arerespectively connected to the three control signal lines of the lightstrip, the control apparatus being configured for selectively applyingopposite signals of selected polarity between a selected pair of thethree control signal lines, the remaining control signal line being in afloating state.
 15. The light strip combination of claim 14, wherein thecontrol apparatus comprises a memory, a control pulse generating circuitand a processor, the memory being connected to the processor and storingthe flashing mode control information for flashing modes of the lightstrip, the control pulse generating circuit being connected to theprocessor, for transferring the flashing mode control information to thethree control signal lines of the light strip, the control apparatusfurther comprising a flicker switch connected to the processor throughan I/O port for signaling the processor to access different flashingmode control information from the memory corresponding to a flash modedifferent from a current flashing mode.
 16. The light set circuit ofclaim 9, wherein: a) the first group of polarized light sources includesa first LED light source, a second LED light source and a third LEDlight source, the positive terminal of the first LED light source beingconnected to the second control signal line, the negative terminal ofthe first LED light source being connected to the first control signalline, the positive terminal of the second LED light source beingconnected to the third control signal line, the negative terminal of thesecond LED light source being connected to the second control signalline, the positive terminal of the third LED light source beingconnected to the first control signal line, and the negative terminal ofthe third LED light source is connected with the third control signalline; and b) the second group of polarized light sources includes afourth LED light source, a fifth LED light source and a sixth LED lightsource, the negative terminal of the fourth LED light source beingconnected to the third control signal line, and the positive terminal ofthe fourth LED light source being connected to the second control signalline, the negative terminal of the fifth LED light source beingconnected to the second control signal line, the positive terminal ofthe fifth LED light source being connected to the first control signalline, the negative terminal of the sixth LED light source beingconnected to the first control signal line, and the positive terminal ofthe sixth LED light source being connected with the third control signalline.
 17. The light set circuit of claim 16, wherein each of the firstand second groups of polarized light sources include a red LED lightsource, a green LED light source and a blue LED light source.
 18. Thelight set circuit of claim 17, wherein the first LED light source andthe fourth LED light source are the same color, the second LED lightsource and the fifth LED light source are the same color, and the thirdLED light source and the sixth LED light source are the same color. 19.The light set circuit of claim 17, wherein the first LED light sourceand the fourth LED light source are the same color, the second LED lightsource and the sixth LED light source are the same color, and the thirdLED light source and the fifth LED light source are the same color. 20.The light strip combination of claim 4, in further combination with anarticle of clothing.
 21. The light strip combination of claim 20,wherein the article of clothing is a shoe lower.